GLOUCESTERSHIRE LISTED BUILDING

In moving to the country, Lisa and Harry Bowcott have become custodians of a beautiful heritage home that dates back to the 12th century

As befits its 800-year history, this special property has been restored with love and respect

We’re still in awe that we have ended up living here,’ says Lisa Bowcott of her historical home in the West Country. ‘I could never have imagined having a house like this as our home.’ Lisa and her husband Harry were previously living in London, juggling two high-flying careers and raising four children under the age of six – until they decided it was time to move out of the city.

‘We had settled on the West Country as a location as it was commutable for London meetings,’ says Lisa, who was working in advertising. Having spotted this house while on holiday in Greece, the couple went to a viewing on their first day back.

The house needed a lot of work. It had started life as a seminary for monks in the 12th century, complete with chapel, moat and fish ponds, before being converted into a family home early in the 15th century. It then passed through generations of the same family up to the 20th century, when it was occupied by tenant farmers. By the 1960s it was in a sorry state, with cows grazing up to the front door and the farmer burning oil drums in the former Great Hall to keep warm. ‘The people who bought the house at that time saved it from collapse,’ says Lisa, ‘but there was still a lot to do when we took it on in 2015.’

At first the Bowcotts stayed in their London home,

❝I WANT EVERY ROOM TO MAKE ME ‘FEEL’ SOMETHING. I LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE SMILE BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE PINK KITCHEN OR THE PHEASANT WALLPAPER IN THE BATHROOM ❞

❝ OUR HOUSE IS FULL OF LAUGHTER AND PEOPLE, WITH TABLE❞ FAMILY AND FRIENDS GATHERED AROUND THE

eventually moving here in 2019. They lived in the house for six months before moving out for the much-needed renovations. ‘It was so cold,’ recalls Lisa. ‘There wasn’t an ounce of insulation anywhere and we had just four radiators that were all temperamental. We used the fires a lot but they weren’t in great condition either and the rooms frequently filled with smoke. One room was so damp, we had a dehumidifier running 24/7, producing a bucket of water each night.’

These fundamental issues were tackled first. Underfloor heating across the ground floor has created much-needed zoning, enabling areas to be switched off as needed. ‘The Great Hall doesn’t need to be 20 degrees but, equally, if that space gets really cold, other rooms suffer,’ says Lisa. Loft insulation, proper cladding, new plumbing and overhauled electrics were all tackled in the first part of the project.

For the décor, Lisa has focused on mood, using bold colours and a few surprises. ‘Designers often mix modern and antiques. It’s not a particularly traditional way,’ she says, ‘but then we are a modern family living in an antique house so I have had to reconcile myself to that. I’ve been particular about materials, especially the metals, using copper and antique bronze. We’ve used a lot of oak and, for period details such as on a strapwork ceiling, I’ve gone for a period yellow. It’s been about finding inspiration in historical colours

and also about recognising that it’s got to be comfortable for the here and now.’

Lisa’s palette majors on pink, blue, green and yellow, in various degrees of saturation. Flow is maintained by using a limited selection of flooring. ‘Every room should make you feel something – even a corridor,’ she says. ‘It should be an enjoyable experience to walk from one part of the house to another. I have a fear of being boring. I think that comes from working in advertising, where boring gets you nowhere. It’s filtered through to my sense of design.’

The couple were exceptionally lucky with their building team and Lisa now counts the project manager among her closest friends. ‘It was such a good experience. Things would go wrong and they’d have to call us to say “Come down to the house, we’ve found a fire burning in your wall”. But other times they’d call and say “Come on over, we’ve found something you’ll enjoy – look, there’s a BT telegraph pole holding up the ceiling”.

‘Harry and I feel like the luckiest people in the world; I don’t think we’ll ever want to leave our home. It is a place we fell in love with, then shaped, and we feel that we’re guardians of something bigger than us,’ says Lisa. ‘This house has been around for centuries and we hope, due to all the work we’ve done, it will stand up to another few hundred years.’

❝HARRY AND I BOTH

STUDIED HISTORY, SO IT SEEMS FITTING TO HAVE RENOVATED THIS HISTORICAL BUILDING❞

Exterior The Grade Ii*-listed former seminary dates back to the 12th century, and is connected to a two-bedroomed barn. Repair work included repointing and replacing all the dormer windows

Kitchen Lisa introduced the wow factor with a copper worktop for the island, while copper drawer handles and pendant lights pull the look together. Kitchen and worktops, painted in Old Rose and Pantry Blue, DEVOL. Dexter copper pendant lights, Pooky

Kitchen Open shelving is a great way to display accessories. Sink and brass taps, DEVOL. Belgian Bluestone worktop, Artisans of Devizes. The copper pans came from a Bath antiques fair; find similar at Etsy. Coloured port glasses, LSA. Jug with cow, The Malt Collective

Kitchen The exposed stone wall makes a striking backdrop for the statement clock. Buscot limestone floor, Artisans of Devizes. Clock, Cox & Cox Boot room This practical space was created by Jonathan Randall Kitchens. Woodwork painted in Pea Green, Little Greene. Baskets, Trouva. Faux flowers, Neptune Dining area Banquette seating creates an informal feel, while painted chairs inject punches of colour. Dining table, Neptune. Lisa gave old chairs a facelift with Annie Sloan chalk paint. Bespoke banquette seating, The Pink Button Company. Cushions, Raj Tent Club

Lily’s room The boards were painted for a tough, smart finish. Floor painted in RAL 7043, Armstead. Doors painted in Hamlet Rose, Dulux. Grey storage unit, Aspace Guest bedroom Lisa used a William Morris fabric on the four-poster, while a freestanding tub makes for elegant bathing. Walls painted in Cooking Apple Green, Farrow & Ball. Bath, BC Designs

Main bedroom The house has been extended throughout its history and 1714 is etched into the wall here. Walls painted in Woad Blue, Little Greene. Bath, Mayflower Bathrooms, Somerset. Light fitting, Dar Lighting